Skinship
by Suffering Angel
Summary: Leave it to your best friend to know just what's good for you, and make it easy on you to return the favor.


Don't own nothing.

_**Skinship  
><strong>_  
>Despite common opinion, Sora wasn't eternally and continuously happy-go-lucky.<br>Yes, he loved smiling and he loved laughing. He was out-going and friendly and loved having a good time as much as the next healthy teenager, but it wasn't as though that was his one and only state.  
>If you were, for instance, a certain Captain of the Knights, or a particular Court Mage, you would be quite aware of how prone to emotional outbursts Sora could be.<br>If you were one of the poor souls who angered Sora, you were introduced to his less 'fun' side and knew how violent and vindictive he could be.  
>Sure, plenty of people knew the sunny, cheerful and warm Hero of Light, but Sora had so much more to him than that, to the point one would be surprised.<br>Sora himself was amazed too, at times, with the things that went through his mind - what he did, thought and felt - and still did even after they were all safely back home. Sometimes, it felt like it was becoming harder and harder to know even himself, especially at times in which he let his mind wonder.

Right then was such a time, as he was sprawled on the bed in his best friend's room, mind idling as he stared out the window. Aforementioned best friend was out to fetch refreshments, and Sora was left to his own devices - which ended up being lying on the bed, doing nothing. And doing nothing meant his mind did quite a bit, and so he failed to notice how the door opened and he wasn't alone anymore.  
>It was an 'off' period for him, one might say, in which he caught himself thinking quite often, and more often than not - was displeased with where his thoughts took him. He would usually snap out of such spells soon enough on his own, usually with a shake of his head as he berated himself about how 'this wasn't like him'.<br>It happened just then, too, and true enough he shook his head before stretching, face buried in the mattress as he was lying on his stomach. It was a long and thorough stretch, one that made him miss when his best friend settled down on the end of the mattress; it was easy to blame the momentary shift on his own movements, and he was thus left blissfully unaware of the intrusion.

A bit frustrated with himself, Sora was intent on cheering up before Riku got back. He was 'off' for a while and knew his friend worried more the longer it lasted, so he wanted to at least show a brave front that one time.  
>No sooner did he cushion his chin on his forearms, however, did he feel a hand brush through his hair. He instantly froze and cursed himself for his own weakness and vulnerability. More than that, though, he cursed how he stalled, thus giving his friend enough time to actively show his concern.<p>

Ah... Riku was comforting him again.  
>That was the simple enough truth which made Sora deflate. Really, leave it to Riku to pull something like that. Always when Sora was out of it, or bothered, Riku'd somehow magically know and show he did, either in a gentle noogie, or a hair-ruffle, or a hug.<br>This time it was a hair caress, one that was no doubt slower and gentler than usual thanks to them being on their lonesome.  
>If you asked Sora if he liked or disliked being pampered like this, the answer was most definitely -<br>Yes.

If it was with Riku, he had long since gave up on resisting as it was futile. And each time, he found himself resisting a bit less, accepting it better, if only because it was Riku and he, and that's just how things were between them.

But then, he also hated it with quite a burning passion. He didn't want to be so dependant or clingy. He hated more than that not knowing how to repay the favor. Lord knew Riku had his issues as well, but they talked it over before and Riku seemed reluctant to discuss those matters further. He seemed to be stable otherwise, and so Sora was left with no idea of how to pay his friend back for this support.

He knew it was all on his part; if asked, Riku was surely to say Sora needn't worry; that so long as he was fine, Riku was, too. But Sora is as Sora does, and so, between one long stroke of fingers between his brown spikes and another he let himself glance up, hoping that somehow, the look in Riku's eyes would give him at least a clue about what he was to do.  
>In a way, it did, and in more ways than one, it left Sora completely baffled.<p>

Riku was smiling. It wasn't just that casual smile he had on when left to enjoy their world, or the teasing grin Sora was so often offered. It wasn't embarrassed nor awkward, but Sora'd be damned if he ever saw a prettier, warmer smile decorating Riku's face. For a moment there he could've sworn Riku's touch became slower still and trailed in new directions over Sora's scalp, his fingertips brushing between every pair of chocolate-hued strands. The next moment had Riku rest his palm flat over the top of Sora's head and he tilted his own a bit to as though get a better look at the brunet.

"Feeling better?" He asked, his voice barely over a warm whisper.  
>Sora shifted for a moment before he crawled a bit closer and rested his cheek against Riku's thigh; the older teen didn't seem to mind much.<p>

"...can I stay like this for a while?" He asked, voice muffled against the fabric of Riku's pants.  
>Well, Riku hardly seemed to mind, and Sora felt like being spoiled for at least another moment...<p>

"Sure. However long you like."

Sora nodded and curled up a tiny bit, wondering exactly how long it'd take for him to doze off like that.  
>At least one thing he didn't need to worry about, he thought as he looked up through half-closed eyes and found Riku smiling a bit wider than he did before.<br>Riku seemed to be enjoying himself enough like this; maybe just letting him take care of Sora once in a while wasn't such a bad idea. 


End file.
